


We Can Talk Here On The Floor

by bethecrayon



Series: Communication-verse [2]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Mama Poindexter also shows up in this one and I love her, this takes place in the frog's senior year
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-26
Updated: 2020-01-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:14:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,639
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22420894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bethecrayon/pseuds/bethecrayon
Summary: It takes another three days before Derek works up the nerve to ask. It's ridiculous it's taken him this long. He's Derek fucking Nurse; he handles things all the time. He's Samwell's most chill hockey player (which is a true statement if he limits it to a five-foot radius centered on himself and doesn't think about it too hard). This is happening, and he throws himself into the bungalow before he can talk himself out of it._X_ _X_ _X_ _X_ _X_ _X_If Derek wants to move in with Will after graduation, he should probably ask. Probably.
Relationships: Derek "Nursey" Nurse/William "Dex" Poindexter
Series: Communication-verse [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1668733
Comments: 14
Kudos: 209





	We Can Talk Here On The Floor

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to installment 3 of my insisting we communicate timeline. This one wasn't beta read, but also I can't look at it in my drafts anymore. I don't think there's anything glaringly awful; if there is I'm going to apologize and blame law school for eating my last 4 brain cells.
> 
> The title is part of a line from a Cavetown song, Talk to Me. This is both because it's a good song and because I haven't been able to title things since 1917.

Derek bursts into the bungalow with a flourish. Fall weather is persisting into early December, and it's doing wonders for both Derek’s mood and aesthetic. Will, eyes bright but soft, shoots him a quick smile over the top of his laptop before resuming coding, and Derek mind jumps to similes and metaphors about warmth and home and fall. He feels more certain than ever that autumn is the superior season. He’s lost in that thought and the related comparisons, halfway through shedding his outerwear, when he feels his phone vibrate in his pocket.

Freshman year Derek would have been thrilled in all the worst ways to learn how close Will is with his mom. Senior year Derek would find it adorable chirp material if it wasn’t for the fact he’s become rather fond of talking with Matilda Poindexter himself. Her latest text ask how classes are doing and tells him if the students in the poetry section he TA’s for are still giving him trouble she’s more than willing to whip them into shape. He chuckles at that; Matilda may be nearly a foot shorter than he does, but she has the kind yet firm nature that makes her a more imposing authority than he could ever hope to be. Derek’s just about to respond ensuring her his students deserve mercy when she adds: “Also, let me know when those acceptance letters start coming in! I need to know where I’m sending my boys care packages next fall.”

It’s sweet, but it’s also a lot. Matilda seems to be confident they’ll be together a year from now and, whether or not she meant it like that, is kind of insinuating that they'll still be living together. Derek’s thought about it before in passing, but he’s sure that’s what he wants now that it's written out in front of him. Which means he should talk to Will about it.

He can see it laid out pretty clearly. They talk about it, they move in together, they celebrate birthdays, Christmas, New Years, and their anniversary (the latter of which are the same date but the romantic in Derek wants to give them separate attention). He makes Will get house plants to brighten up the place and insist on naming them ridiculous things. Derek graduates with his PhD and the Dr. Nurse jokes are insufferable. Maybe they’ll find a nice Saturday farmer's market and reach peak domesticity. All the while they’re by each other’s side, enjoying each other’s company, and full of love.

And then Derek thinks of the other option. The one where Will tells him he’s being ridiculous. That they’ve barely been dating a year and it’s too much to decide too soon. That Will thinks the natural expiration of their relationship was probably graduation anyway. This is the version where asking gives away too much, and Derek learns Will isn’t nearly as invested or excited about this as he is.

It’s not likely. Derek knows it's not likely the same way he knows Will is less of a morning person than he is but respects alarms more. He knows it the same way he knows Will puts extra sugar and cream in his first cup of coffee because Derek steals it every time. He knows it isn't likely even though they haven't talked about it before, but the possibility is enough to having him burying the thought of asking. He taps out a quick promise to keep Matilda updated, swipes over to a game on his phone, and decides now isn’t the time.

_X_ _X_ _X_ _X_ _X_ _X_

Derek makes a point of turning in all of his grad apps early. He’s done with them the Thursday before reading week starts, and while that’s incredibly stressful it means his winter break is going to be gloriously free. That would’ve been reward enough itself, but the day he submits his last one he comes into the Haus after class to a chorus of yells.

Chowder slams into his side for a hug. “Congrats, Nursey! You did it! All of your stuff is submitted and they’re gonna love you!”

Derek chuckles and returns the embrace. “If this is what I get for just submitting the applications I’m excited to see what happens if I get accepted.”

“When you get accepted, you mean,” Tango corrects, walking some covered pans out of the kitchen with Will. “And we’ll make it a bigger celebration then.”

“Yeah, we’re proud of you or whatever,” Whiskey chirps from where he’s perched on the couch.

“Be still my beating heart!" Derek throws a hand up to his chest and fans himself for the drama of it all. "Connor Whisk, my sweetest tadpole, has grown fond of me. This is, perhaps, the greatest gift I could be given!”

Whiskey looks entirely unphased by the display. “This is why I’m only nice to you once a year, Nurse. Your ego gets too big otherwise.”

“Love you too, Whiskey” Derek can’t quite hide the fact the affection is totally genuine. “Now am I correct in assuming I get first dibs on whatever snacks you guys got for this occasion?”

The get together certainly isn’t a kegster, but it’s nice nonetheless. It’s mostly just Haus residents in attendance; last year’s seniors left their space to Tango, Whiskey, and Ford, and since the bungalow worked out so well Bully had taken up residence with Derek. Bully’s presence usually meant Hops and Louis were around too, and true to form they round out the celebration today. The Haus has been a welcoming place for all of Derek’s time at Samwell, but there’s something special about some of his closest friends choosing to celebrate his accomplishments unprompted that has him feeling extra warm and fuzzy.

People start to drop off around 11, wishing Derek congratulations on the way out the door or back up to their room. Soon the frogs are the only ones left hanging out. Chowder pops up to grab one last round of drinks while Will tightens his arm slightly around Derek's shoulders.

"I really am proud of you, babe. I know the whole personal statement thing had you stressed for a while, but you fucking did it." Will accentuates the point with a quick peck to Derek's forehead, and Derek considers asking him then and there. He wants this kind of casual warmth for a long time, and he thinks that Will probably feels the same way. Before he can ask, though, Chowder's back with beers and assurances that if any admissions council has anything less than kind to say about Derek, he'll handle it personally.

_X_ _X_ _X_ _X_ _X_ _X_

Derek isn't hiding. That's not something he does in general, so it would make no sense for him to start now. Derek Nurse does not hide. Besides, he told Will about his love of the top floor lounge in the English building long ago. It's not exactly effective hiding if he's in one of the first few places his boyfriend would think to look. Will's just not likely to be here and if Will isn't here Derek can't do dumb things like ask him about living together when they graduate.

He's tempted to text Matilda and ask her if she's talked to her son about it, but she would probably tell him he should just talk to Will. He can hear a shockingly pitch accurate version of her now; "Derek, honey, the two of you care about each other. You'll have to talk about it eventually and the more you put it off the more painful it'll be. Don't be dumb."

He laughs despite himself at that. It's not that he wants to be dumb, he just doesn't want to mess this up and Will makes him feel all warm fuzzy and stupid inside which doesn't help.

"Laughing at your own jokes would be way less charming if you didn't have such a cute laugh."

Derek jumps a little even though he knows this voice incredibly well. "Yeah, well, sneaking up on and scaring the shit out of me would be a lot less charming if you didn't come with compliments." Will leans in for a kiss and Derek is happy to oblige despite being startled. "Not that I'm not happy to see you, but don't you have class right now?"

Will flushes pink, clearly not expecting to be called out so quickly. "Oh, well class got out early, so I thought I'd come surprise you. Plus, I brought Annie's." He does indeed produce a to go cup from behind his back. Will moves Derek’s bag out of the way to grab a seat and smiles softly when Derek doesn’t hesitate to take a huge sip.

"You are an icon of a boyfriend, and I am prepared to defend your honor in battle."

"A little dramatic for a drink, Der, but I appreciate the sentiment. I figured you'd like a bit of a pick me up.” Will rubs the back of his neck, and Derek is still blown away by how consistently fond he is of Will’s being awkward. “You've seemed kind of out of it the last few days. I won’t make you talk about it, but I thought Annie's and the offer to wouldn't hurt."

This is why Derek was not-hiding. Being around a warm, honest Will makes him want to lay all his cards on the table. It feels all too easy to ask Will to extend that calm and happiness Derek gets from just being in his space to the foreseeable future by moving in with him after graduation. It’s just four words— move in with me— but they have the potential to be everything. They also have the potential to ruin everything.

“I’m okay babe. Just kind of tired, I guess. Been thinking a lot.”

Will chuckles but concern still tinges the edge of his expression. “Yeah, that sounds like you. If it's something you want to talk about, though, I really am here for that.”

Derek laces his fingers through Will's and gives them a squeeze. "I promise it's nothing bad. I just have to sort out some things, I think. But we're good and I'll let you know when I get them worked out."

_X_ _X_ _X_ _X_ _X_ _X_

It takes another three days before Derek works up the nerve to ask. It's ridiculous it's taken him this long. He's Derek fucking Nurse; he handles things all the time. He's Samwell's most chill hockey player (which is a true statement if he limits it to a five-foot radius centered on himself and doesn't think about it too hard). This is happening, and he throws himself into the bungalow before he can talk himself out of it.

“Yo, Billiam Jessica Poindoodle.”

Will snorts, caught off guard. “Literally none of that is right. You’ve outdone yourself.”

“Okay, true, but shut up for a minute. I need to ask you something" Derek moves to sit on the bed with Will, looking at him expectantly. "Move in with me?”

“Derek.”

“Will.”

“We live together. In the Haus. You’re down here in the bungalow more often than I am at this point. Just bring down your last three pairs of shoes if you’re worried about it and let Hops move in the rest of his shit with Bully. Like dibs but early. Ooh, call it Dibs-mas.”

Derek chuckles at that, pretty sure Will was aiming to defuse tension. “Not what I was talking about, but you’re probably right. I’ll text them later." He's going to do this now, though. It's been bouncing around in his head for two weeks and it's time. "Dexalicious, babe, my cinnamon apple-”

“Why do you only get ridiculous when you're nervous?” Will folds down the corner of the page he’s on and moves the book to the bedside table in favor of opening up his arms for Derek.

Before he starts talking, Derek curls into Will’s side. He’s just exposed enough to not muffle his words, but this is not a conversation he’s aching for eye contact through. “It’s just. Okay, so, your mom texted me the other day. And, because she’s a constant delight, as you know, she was asking me to keep her updated about where I’m getting acceptances.”

“Do you want me to ask her to ease off on the grad school reminders?” Will runs his hands in mindless patterns over Derek’s shoulder as he talks. There’s no reason it should be as comforting as it is, but it helps Derek’s chest unclench a little. “She’d definitely get it. She knows it’s stressful and didn’t mean to add any pressure, but she’s just excited for you because she knows you’re going to do well.” Derek smiles briefly at that. Matilda Poindexter continues to be too sweet for this world.

“No, that’s definitely not it. It’s nice that she checks in and I like talking to her.” Derek clears his throat and tries to dredge up some courage. “She wanted to ask so she ‘knows where her boys are going to end up’ which got me thinking, right? I know you said that you’re looking for jobs in Boston, New York, Chicago, and maybe somewhere in California, and I would never ask you to change your plans for me because you deserve every chance to follow your dreams. But I also know that’s a lot of overlap for cities I could end up in for school. So, move in with me. Or let me move in with you. Mutual moving in with each other."

Will stops moving his hand across Derek’s shoulder. He doesn’t say anything immediately, which Derek knows by now probably means he’s just trying to piece together what he wants to say. It’s still not great for Derek’s nerves though.

“I mean, like, just consider it, Will? You definitely don’t have to answer right now, and we’ve got time to work things out. I just wanted to put that out there because I think that’d be good. I’d like that for us. So I wanted to ask.”

Will angles Derek’s face up so they’re looking in each other’s eyes. Will has flushed a pleased pink color and is grinning from ear to ear "Derek Nurse, it would be an honor to move in with you. Or to have you move in with me. An honor to mutually move in with each other."

"Okay!" Derek sits up to glare at Will a bit. "I didn't ask to be chirped!"

Will slides his hand into Derek’s and arches an eyebrow. "Dude, you kind of did when you decided we should date and then again just now when you asked to live together. I'm serious though."

"Really?" The word slips out smaller and more unsure than Derek meant it to, mild disbelief written across his face.

"Sweetheart," Will starts, tone slow and deliberate like he's explaining the obvious, but his expression is incredibly soft. "I've told you I love you right? Because I do, and I don't just say it for shits and giggles. It would make me incredibly happy to move in with you after we graduate. I want to do shit like build IKEA furniture with you and make a romantic dinner that won't be inhaled by half a hockey team and meet your fancy new grad school friends."

Derek considers tearing up, but instead drags Will into a kiss. When they break apart, he squishes Will’s face between his hands a little, just to be an ass about it. "I love you. Really and truly I do." Derek is absolutely beaming and vaguely aware that it's probably the least chill he's looked in some time. He's excited, though, and wouldn't tone it down if he could. "I love you and we're gonna move in together."

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, this is the last fully written thing I got put together during winter break, so it's probably going to be a larger break between this and anything else I do. Check out jam-heathen on tumblr for my OMGCP sideblog.


End file.
